Naruto Flower Tales: Shizune
by Mr. Lee
Summary: A series of of Naruto oneshots that involve him, the kunoichis, and flowers. Next up is Shizune. Title is Stand by You. Rated T for fluffiness, angst, and a character death.


Naruto Flower Tales: Shizune by Mr

Naruto Flower Tales: Shizune by Mr. Lee

This is a NarutoxShizune one-shot

Rated T for fluffiness, angst, and a character death

Disclaimer: This fanfiction is for entertainment purposes only. The author of this fanfiction does not own Naruto or any of its characters. Naruto is owned by Masashi Kishimoto. Any other similarities in this story are purely coincidental.

Author's Notes: It's been a long time my romance fans. Mr. Lee is back with another Naruto Flower Tale for your reading pleasure. Before I begin, let me apologize to all of you for my absence :(. Due to various life issues at home, being sick with an annoying flu bug and severe lack of inspiration with my stories (My brain was severely empty of any ideas.), I've been offline for nearly a month. I'm slowly getting back into the swing of things, but as I mentioned before, the updates of my stories will be a little slower than usual, and for that, I am deeply sorry. It's not always easy being an author and coming up with new work for you guys and gals when the thing called life intervenes on me. But when I do have a moment, and my brain gets fired up with ideas, I'll always continue to do my best to you, my loyal fans and friends.

Now that I have a moment to do the thing I love, I decided to give you another flower tale I came up with just recently. And our next kunoichi is none other than Shizune. The ever faithful assistant of the slug queen Tsunade, Shizune is, in my personal opinion, a very well rounded woman. Kind, funny, beautiful, sexy (She has a nice pair of legs I wish she show off more.), supportive and tough. All of these things apply to the med-nin/poison expert. Unfortunately, she doesn't really get that much exposure in the series. And fics (Especially good ones) that deal with Naruto and her are **VERY RARE** compared to other pairings. But, as you all know about me, I plan to change that hopefully with this tale. As usual, this story will be AU and the characters may be a tad OOC. However, for the first time in this series, there will be a character death that will be necessary in the story, so be prepared.

This fic is dedicated to all you romantics out there (You know who ye be ;).). To Naruto, Shizune, and the few NaruShiz fans out there. And to the authors Fenrir7139, my old friend OneAznDragon, Un-usuality, Master of Anime, and any other author whose NaruShiz fics I've read and enjoyed. All right, time to delve back into the world of Naruto, kunoichis and flowers. I hope that you'll like this one-shot I cooked up. Enjoy :)!

_One word frees us_

_Of all the weight and pain in life,_

_That word is Love- Socrates_

_To love a person is to learn the song_

_That is in their heart,_

_And to sing it to them_

_When they have forgotten- Anonymous_

**Shizune- Stand by You**

Throughout the five great nations, the name of the legendary slug sannin Tsunade is known. However, as powerful as she is, there is another that has always stood by her side. That person is Shizune. Whether it be in battle, taking care of sannin's pet pig Tonton, or helping her master get out of trouble, the med-nin has always remained loyal to her teacher, mentor and long time friend to the point of leaving Konoha behind when Tsunade lost faith in her home after her lover and Shizune's uncle Dan died in front of her. No matter what Tsunade wanted her to do, Shizune always did it, even if she didn't agree with it. But like Tsunade, her life changed when she met the spiky blond Uzumaki Naruto.

If anyone were to ask her what she thought of Naruto when she first met him, she would say that he was crazy after Naruto told Tsunade that he would punch her in the face after she badmouthed the Sandaime and Yondaime Hokages. This ultimately led to a fight between the two. Shizune wanted to stop them, but all she could do was watch. It was what her master wanted after all. The fight ended shortly which led to the bet that if Naruto learned the Rasengan in a week, Tsunade would give him her necklace, an act which stunned the med-nin due to the history of the heirloom of the Shodaime Hokage. This ultimately led to her visiting Naruto later on that night.

"I know that it's awfully late. I'm sorry, but I need to talk to you." Shizune said desperately when Naruto opened the door.

"What is it, Shizune-neechan? I want to get a good night sleep because I'm going to start training in the morning." Naruto told her as he let her in his room.

"That's just it! Before you get into this, there's something that you must know about the necklace. And also…about Tsunade-sama." The dark haired med-nin explained.

"Humph! I couldn't care less about that old hag." The spiky blond grumbled.

"Don't say that! She's not the type of person you think she is! What right have you to say that?! You don't know anything about her!" She shouted angrily at him. When he saw the young man flinch at her outburst, she gasped and lowered her head, feeling ashamed over losing her cool. "Please forgive me…I didn't mean to shout." She said softly. After taking a deep breath to calm herself, she continued.

"Tsunade-sama wasn't always…like that. She was always so kind and dedicated to the village. But she's changed…ever since that day." Shizune said depressingly.

"What day is that?" Naruto asked curiously. Shizune looked down at the floor and remained silent. "Talk already! Since what day?" He asked again.

"The day…she lost all she had. Dreams, hopes, everything. She had nothing left after that. Except the necklace and all of its memories. Please understand…that necklace is more precious than life for her. It's not simply a piece of jewelry to be gambled away on a silly bet." The female sannin's assistant replied.

"Look, a bet's a bet. Anyway, it was her idea, not mine." The spiky blond said bluntly.

"You'll be sorry! If you think it's something you'll be able to wear like a trophy. This is not just any necklace!" She bellowed as her anger rose once more. Naruto lets out a sigh, growing tired of the conversation. "It won't accept anyone else wearing it. Only on Tsunade-sama does it remain safe. When anyone else puts it on, they die." She added grimly, causing Naruto to gasp in horror over the revelation.

"What do you mean?" He inquired. It was then that the med-nin told him of Tsunade's past and the former owners of the necklace who died shortly after receiving it, Nawaki and Dan, which led to her leaving the village. Throughout the sad tale, Naruto remained silent and listened intensely to the story.

"So you see Naruto-kun? That was the day that changed her. She's been in torment ever since." Shizune finally finished. The young man said nothing and lowered his head so that his hair was covering his eyes. He slowly walked past her and headed towards the door. "Where are you going?" She asked.

"Out. I need to start training." He answered. But just when he was about to close the door, he stopped for a brief moment and looked at the woman. After hearing everything from her, he wanted to get something off of his chest. Closing the door, he went back into the room and walked up to the woman. Shizune looked at him strangely, wondering what he was going to do. Once he stood next to her, he glared at her, making Shizune eyes widen at his actions.

"Naruto-kun?" Shizune said with a bit of nervousness. It was then that the young man's eyes softened slightly. Shizune stared deeply into his cerulean blues. There was a deep sadness in them, but also a touch of anger as well as he gave the woman a glimpse of what is underneath his mask.

"To have someone who truly loves you. It must be nice. I've never had anything like that. All of my life I've been alone, with people hating me and trying to kill me since I've been able to walk. Though I do have friends now, to most people back home, I'm nothing but a monster and a demon, and my life is still filled with nothing but pain…" Naruto said softly, causing Shizune to gasp in shock. She was about to say something when he raised his hand and increased the anger in his eyes to silence her. "I may just be a kid to you. And you may be angry with me over continuing the bet, saying that I don't know anything about her. But I do understand how that old hag feels, even though I've never had people like that in my life. And may never will…" He continued as he turned away from her and lowered his head. The med-nin frowned and lowered her head as well as tears of compassion stung her eyes.

"Shizune-neechan, that old hag didn't lose everything like you said. She has you…" The young man told her making her lift her head in surprise at his comment. "If you care about her and stand by her, and you know she's in pain, then do something about it. **Otherwise, you'll get no sympathy from me**!" He told her in a hard voice at the end as he quickly turned his head to her. What the med-nin saw made her see the spiky blond in a whole new light. His face was contorted with anger, but his eyes had unshed tears of loneliness in them. And the sadness she saw in them were greater than before. Turning his head away again and rubbing the tears from his eyes, he headed to the door. "Now we're even…" He said before closing the door behind him.

Shizune stood there silently for several minutes, completely stunned at Naruto's words. The look in his eyes and the way he spoke was not of a boy, but of a man who knew truly knew about pain, suffering and loneliness. She didn't understand at first, but when she remembered who he was and the curse that he has to live with for the rest of his life, she felt great shame over yelling at him before. She knew that he was right in what he said. Her master had her support as her friend and student. But making no effort to help someone precious to you is the same as them not being precious at all. Realizing she was doing just that made her lower her head further. But despite what the med-nin was feeling at that moment, she was grateful to Naruto. She knew that she needed to hear that as harsh as it sounded. She also realized why he admired and wanted to be Hokage. After all, he is a leader who was loved by all of the villagers of Konoha. Hence his reason for accepting the bet against her master. Though it was only a glimpse, she now knew that there was more to Uzumaki Naruto than meets the eye.

In the morning, Naruto laid next to a sturdy tree on the outskirts of Tanzake Town after training all night on the trees around him. He let out a loud yawn and rubbed his eyes as the sun shined on him. After he focused them, he stretched his arms out only to realize that there was a blanket covering him.

"Huh? Where did this come from?" Naruto mumbled. He looked to the right and saw that his jacket and hitae-ate (Forehead protector) was neatly folded and that a bento (A lunchbox) with a note on top was right next to it. Widening his eyes in confusion, he stood up and went over to the box, took the note and opened it.

_Naruto-kun,_

_I'm sorry about bothering you last night. I left this blanket and bento with food I made for you so you wouldn't be hungry or cold. I'll replace the box at night, so don't worry about it. Good luck with your training. If you need anything, just ask. I'm here for you now, so do your best. I promise I will too._

_Shizune_

"Shizune-neechan…" Naruto said as a blush crossed his face. Truth be told, he was worried about what he said to her and hoped that he wasn't too harsh. But after reading the note, he was greatly relieved. After putting the note in his pocket, he immediately opened the bento and his eyes sparkled at seeing the large amounts of food in it. Not wasting any time, he took the chopsticks and with an 'Itadakimasu', he started to eat. "Wow! This food is great! Shizune-neechan is a great cook!" He said in a boisterous tone, not realizing that the med-nin was secretly watching him behind a rock. When she heard the compliment, she couldn't help but blush deeply and smile warmly at the young man.

"Good luck Naruto-kun…" Shizune said quietly, but happily as she walked back into town. Throughout the week, Naruto continued his Rasengan training and when he fell asleep, Shizune always replaced the bento box with food. Although she has always cooked for Tsunade, when she did it for Naruto, she was strangely happier than usual. More than she's even been in her life, especially on one day during the week when she replaced the bento box. When he was sleeping, she noticed that there was a beautiful white and sunny yellow flower on top of it with a note. Taking the flower, she opened the note and read it.

_Shizune-neechan,_

_Thanks for the blanket and the food! It was delicious! I'm…sorry about what I said to you that night we talked. I hope you can forgive me. I just wanted you to understand me a little. This flower is a Daisy. They're really pretty, just like you. I hope you like it! Just don't tell Ero-sennin (Perverted Hermit), or I won't hear the end of it. I'm getting close to mastering the Rasengan (Spiraling Sphere)! I will win the bet and wipe that smirk off of Tsunade's face! Count on it!_

_Naruto_

The dark-haired woman couldn't help but giggle at the contents of the note. She now truly admired his spirit and kindness. She took a whiff of the fresh daisy, and its fragrance melted her heart as the wind blew, making her face flush. A warm feeling entered her bosom and she gently smiled at the young man. With all the training as a med-nin and traveling she did with Tsunade when she was young, she never had time for boys, dates or relationships. It was the first time she received a gift from one, and it made her heart leap with joy. Making sure not to disturb him, she leaned down quietly and pressed her lips to his for half a minute before pulling away. Naruto smiled in his sleep and wrapped the blanket around him further.

"Sleep well Naruto-kun. I'll always cherish this gift…" Shizune whispered before taking the bento and heading back to town to refill it.

A few days passed since then. And during Sunday night, the day before the deadline of the bet, Shizune went to him to refill the bento when she saw Naruto lying face down on the ground unconscious. After gasping in horror, she immediately ran up to him.

"Naruto-kun! Are you alright?" The young woman called to him as leaned down and turned him over gently. Immediately going into med-nin mode, she checked his pulse and vitals. Once she did that, she picked him up and took him back to the hotel. Placing him on her bed, she waited until her master returned. Once she did, they did an analysis on him to find out what went wrong.

"How is he doing?" Shizune asked with concern.

"He's collapsed from exhaustion. And his right hand is severely burned from concentrated chakra. He's out of it. He won't wake up until the day after tomorrow at the earliest." Tsunade deduced as she let out a sigh. "That old fool Jiraiya was right about me. To think I sunk so low I'd bet against a kid." She said with a tiny hint of regret as she looked at Naruto. "Hah! What am I getting so torn up about? It's his problem, not mine…" She added a minute later, making her assistant lower her head.

"And tomorrow?" The med-nin questioned in regards to Orochimaru's offer with her hair covering her eyes. Tsunade gazed at her student at the corner of her eye, but said nothing. "Please tell me you're not going tomorrow!" She said with a scowl as she raised her voice. The female sannin turned her head away and remained silent, making Shizune grind her teeth. "Why don't you answer?! Say something! Tsunade-sama, answer me! I need to know! Because, if you tell me you're going…" She warned.

"What then…?" The slug queen asked in a hard voice. The young woman's resolve was starting to crumble. But she looked at Naruto and remembered what he said to her that night.

"_**If you care about her and stand by her, and you know she's in pain, then do something about it. Otherwise, you'll get no sympathy from me!"**_

Hearing those words in her mind, a fire started to burn in Shizune's heart. For years, she has never truly stood up to her teacher, but she would do it today. With a powerful look on her visage, she clenched her fist while they shook by her side.

"I…I will try to stop you! Even if it costs me my life!!" The young woman said strongly with a glare to the blond woman.

"Shizune! Have you forgotten who you're talking to?!" Tsunade growled as she turned her head and glared back. Shizune gasped at the small killing intent that came from her master, and she tried to take advantage of it by rushing in to punch her in the ribs. But just before it connected, the assistant grabbed Tsunade's fist with her hand, stunning the sannin.

"No…I haven't…" She said in a deep voice as she used her free hand and punched her teacher in the jaw.

'Shizune…!' The beautiful blond said in her mind as she slammed into the wall and fell to one knee. It was the first time that her apprentice has ever defied her or raised a hand against her outside of sparring, so she was naturally caught off guard. "Shizune…you…!!" She said in a fit of rage as she stood up and wiped the blood from her mouth.

"I've haven't forgotten Tsunade-sama. You're my best friend. You taught me everything I know. And you were the love of my uncle. But you're not the Tsunade that I know!" Shizune shouted, making Tsunade's eyes widen. "Everything I've ever done for you since we left Konoha, I did without question, despite my personal feelings. All the drinking, all the gambling, all the debts, I was there for all of it! And because of it, I couldn't face the truth. I was weak and I did nothing to stop you from turning into…this. But Naruto-kun reminded me of what my brother fought and died for and why I wanted to become strong. Kill me if you want, but I'm not going to let you throw your life away any longer! You're not the only one who misses Dan-ojisan (Uncle Dan) and Nawaki! You're not the only one who's suffered! Naruto knows it too being the container of Kyubi! And even though you're stronger than him, and you think he is stupid and a brat, at least he's not a coward like you!" Shizune roared as tears fell out of her eyes.

"Shizune!" Tsunade shouted as she ran towards her pupil with her fist cocked.

"Tsunade-sama!" The med-nin shouted back as she pulled her fist back as well. They hit each other in the ribs with a powerful punch and the room was silent for a minute. The victor was decided as Shizune fell to the floor unconscious while Tsunade held her ribs. As the sannin healed her wounded ribs, she looked at her apprentice with amazement.

'Shizune…when did you…become so strong?' The sannin thought to herself as she looked at her and then at the young man who surprisingly slept throughout the whole thing. A minute later, she left the room.

Morning came and Naruto woke up from his deep sleep only to see Tonton on his bed and Shizune lying on the floor.

"Shizune-neechan!" Naruto shouted as he got out of bed and ran to her side. "Hey Shizune-neechan. Are you okay?" He asked with worry. He started to calm down as he saw her eyes slowly open.

"Unh, Naruto-kun, I…" Shizune started to say as she sat up until she gasped, remembering what Tsunade said in her diagnosis. "Naruto-kun! What time is it? What day is it today? What day? What time?" She questioned frantically.

"Its Monday morning." The spiky blond answered, making her calm down. "Why? What's wrong?" He asked.

'It's Monday? But, his wounds…' The dark haired woman thought as she looked him over. "It's amazing! Are you sure you're feeling alright? You were supposed to be out of it for two whole days at the least." She said matter-of-factly.

"Heh, not a chance. No matter how beat up I get, just give me a good night's sleep and I'm back at the top of my game!" He said proudly.

'Of course, the Kyubi no Yoko (Nine-tailed Demon Fox). That's how he's able to train all day.' Shizune thought in realization.

"Besides, I got a date to keep with old hag Tsunade! Today's the day I wipe that smirk off her face!" The young man said with determination.

"So, you've mastered the jutsu?" Shizune asked excitedly.

"Uhhh…No not completely, but close enough. So I'll just wing it! It'll be fine!" He replied sheepishly. The med-nin laughed at him humorously until she clutched her ribs in pain. This didn't go unnoticed to the blond ninja though. "Are you okay? Here, let me help you." He said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and slowly lifted her up from the floor.

"Thanks Naruto-kun…" She said warmly as she leaned on him for support and let him carry her to the bad. After she sat down, she started to heal her bruised ribs.

"Shizune-neechan, what happened? Why were you unconscious on the floor?" Naruto inquired. The med-nin stopped healing her ribs and lowered her head as she closed her eyes and placed her hands around her ribcage with a melancholic expression. It was then that she felt a gentle hand touch hers. She opened her eyes and saw Naruto look at her with a small smile, his eyes full of concern. She returned the smile and took his hand, giving it a squeeze as she begun to tell him what happened with her, Tsunade and Orochimaru, and the deal he made to her master. "So that's what happened…" He said after she finished.

"I'm sorry Naruto-kun. I never imagined she would go through with it. That's why I didn't say anything about this to you and Jiraiya-sama. But now…" Shizune said somberly as she lowered her head.

"Shizune-neechan…" The spiky blond said with a frown. But a few moments later, his face became determined he punched his fist into his other hand. He walked over to Shizune and took her hand, lifting her off the bed. "Come on! Let's get Ero-sennin and go after her!" He told her.

"But…" She said as she looked at him joylessly, thinking that it was too late.

"Hey, she's your friend, right?" The young man asked, making her eyes widen.

"Naruto-kun…" The dark haired woman said in surprise.

"Then let's do something about it!" Naruto said with his trademark grin.

"Yes!" Shizune said with hope as she smiled at him and held his hand tightly. But just as they were about to go through the door and head to Jiraiya's room, the toad sage fell into the room from the window. After helping him recover from the drug Tsunade gave him, they quickly left and made it in time right when Tsunade was fighting Kabuto. An intense battle quickly followed as Shizune took over fighting Kabuto when Tsunade became paralyzed by her hemophobia and Orochimaru summoned his snakes. Despite her experience, Shizune was defeated by the sound med-nin. But Naruto returned the favor by defeating him with a mastered Rasengan, winning the bet against Tsunade while saving her life in the process. This gave Tsunade the strength she needed to save Naruto's life and defeat Orochimaru a little bit later.

After the battle finally came to a close, they all went back to town to rest and recuperate from their wounds. Though Tsunade, Jiraiya and Shizune recovered quickly, it took Naruto about a week to recover. During that time, Shizune quickly volunteered to stay with Naruto and watch over him throughout his recovery. Though Tsunade said that she would do it, she vehemently insisted on it since her master requested that she look after him and let no harm come to him during the sannin battle. One night during his recovery, the female sannin came into the room while her assistant sat in a chair near Naruto's bed in her bed robes reading a book.

"Oh…Tsunade-sama." Shizune said when she sensed her master come in.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you." Tsunade said with a smile as she walked up to her.

"No. Not at all." The med-nin said with a smile.

"How is our hero doing?" The female sannin inquired.

"He's sleeping peacefully. Judging from his smile, he must be dreaming about something nice." She replied with her voice full of warmth as she gently brushes a few strands of his hair from his face.

'I've never seen Shizune like this. Hmm…I wonder…' The slug queen thought with a smirk. Her thoughts were cut short as her assistant stood up and looked at her with a worried expression. "What's wrong Shizune?" She asked.

"Tsunade-sama. I…never got the chance to apologize for the things I said and did to you before. Please forgive me…" Shizune said sadly as she bowed to her. Tsunade frowned and lowered her head in disgrace, feeling horrible for her actions to her loyal student as well as Naruto and Jiraiya. She placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, making Shizune stand up.

"No Shizune. I'm the one who should apologize to you. You had every right to do what you did to me. As Naruto told me, I deserved to be punched in the face. I wanted them back so badly; I struck my student and friend down. You were trying to save me from myself, but I was too blind to see it. I hope you can forgive your teacher." The beautiful blond said sadly.

"Of course I forgive you Tsunade-sama…" Her assistant said with a smile.

"Thank you Shizune. It was thanks to you and Naruto that made me make my decision. Especially Naruto. I owe him a debt I can never repay." She said with a smile as she looked at the young man.

"I owe him too. When you knocked me out and I woke up the next day, I lost hope and thought that you accepted Orochimaru's offer, or worse, that he took your life. If it wasn't for Naruto, we never would have came or made it in time to save you. He also gave me the courage to stand up to you." The med-nin told her honestly as she stroked his hand.

'Heh, I figured as much…' Tsunade chuckled inwardly. Looking around the room, she couldn't help but notice the sunny yellow flower with white petals inside a vase on Shizune's desk.

"Is that a daisy? Who gave you that?" The future Godaime Hokage asked out of curiosity.

"Naruto-kun gave it to me several days ago." The dark-haired woman replied with a blush on her face.

"Heh heh heh…I see…" She chuckled slyly.

"W-What?" Shizune asked nervously as her blush deepened.

"Nothing…" The female sannin said with a mischievous smile as she started to head to the door.

"It…It's not like that Tsunade-sama!" Her assistant said embarrassingly as she wiped sweat off of her brow.

"Good night Shizune. Take **good** care of Naruto-kun now…" The beautiful blond laughed as she left the room.

"T-Tsunade-sama!" Shizune said in a fluster.

_Several months later_

After Naruto's recovery was complete, they returned to Konoha, where Tsunade took her place as the Godaime Hokage. During this time, Shizune continues her role as the assistant of the slug queen, making sure she doesn't slack off with her work. However, during the afternoon and evening hours, she spends her time with Naruto. Having dinner with each other and talking about their day becomes a normal occurrence between the two of them, with Tsunade joining them when she does her work for the day. The two become very close friends, to the point that she becomes the first person to greet him when he returns from missions with his team, and that Naruto adds the chan suffix to her name. Even when Sasuke betrayed Konoha, and Naruto failed to retrieve him, she was the first to comfort him when she finished her healing of Neji and the others on his team. But unbeknownst to them, another tragedy was about to occur for the blond ninja.

"Maybe he went this way." Shizune said to her medic corps team as they scattered to find her patient, not realizing that he was closer than they thought.

"Ahh…This Ichiraku ramen is all the medicine I need to get back on my feet! Hit me with another big bowl old man!" Naruto said happily.

"Coming right up!" Teuchi said as he begun to mix the soup.

"I'm telling you, this stuff is just what the doctor ordered." The blond said out loud, making the Teuchi and Ayame smile.

"Ahem…" A female voice behind Naruto said as she cleared her throat. The young man's eyes widened, automatically knowing who it was. Naruto slowly turned his head and looked to see an angry looking Shizune with her arms crossed. "So here you are Naruto-kun. I bet after that bowl, you're probably thinking of sneaking off to train." She said in a deep voice as if reading his mind.

"Hi there Shizune-chan…you want some too? My treat…" He said sheepishly as he let out a nervous laugh. Normally, she would have accepted his offer, but not this time around as she ties him up a couple of minutes later.

"Here you are. This should cover his bill." The med-nin said with a sigh as Teuchi thanked her while her team started to drag Naruto back to the hospital.

"Come on Shizune-chan! I'm fine, I tell you!" Naruto protested as the young woman walked next to him.

"Naruto-kun, you may think you're all healed. You may even look all healed. But you're NOT all healed!" Shizune retorted.

"I'm telling you, I feel alright! I need to train more and become stronger!" The spiky blond told her as he continued to try his hardest to break the rope.

"Yeah, yeah. After you've fully recovered." The dark haired woman said nonchalantly as she closed her eyes.

"You don't understand! I made a promise to Sakura-chan. How can I keep it if you're in bed?" He asked her. Shizune just remained silent and ignored his pleas as they headed back to the hospital.

When they finally did, to make sure Naruto wouldn't escape again, she injected him with a powerful sedative, which knocked him out cold. Once that was done, they brought him to his room and laid him in bed, while Shizune took a few extra precautions.

'That sedative I gave him should keep him asleep for the rest of the day. And this rope made from maiden's hair with a shinobi reverse butterfly knot should keep him here if it wears off. Sorry about this Naruto-kun. It's for your own good. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you…' Shizune said in her mind as she caressed his cheek with her hand before sitting in a chair next to his bed and started to write in his medical chart. Just then, a knock came from the door. "Come in!" She calls out. The door opens to reveal Sakura coming into the room.

"Hello Shizune-san, I'm here to see Naruto." Sakura said in a soft voice. As she walked up to his bed, she notices his 'situation' and looks at the med-nin with wide eyes.

"Oh, don't worry. Naruto-kun is making a remarkable recovery. But he mustn't push himself. So I gave him a sedative so he can rest and heal his wounds." Shizune explained to the young girl.

"I see." The pink haired kunoichi said with a nod. She turns her head and looks at a cosmos flower she gave him as a get well gift in a vase next to his bed. Her lips curve into a sad smile before turning her head to the med-nin. "Shizune-san. Can you give Naruto a message?" She inquired.

"Sure Sakura. What is it?" She asked with a smile.

"Tell him I said thank you, and I'm sorry, for everything that I've done to him. And tell him that I set him free from his promise of a lifetime." Sakura replied with an even voice that was laced with sorrow and regret.

"Is there something wrong Sakura?" The woman asked with concern.

"Oh no. It's nothing Shizune-san! Nothing at all…" The young girl answered with a smile as she headed to the door. After taking one last look at Naruto, Sakura closes it quietly.

_A few days later_

"I'm sorry Tsunade." A somber Jiraiya says as he tells Tsunade and Shizune the news of his search. During the day when Sakura visited the hospital to see Naruto, she left Konoha. When Tsunade discovered this, she called the toad sage and asks him to look for her since most of the jonins were away on assignments of their own. He eventually finds her in a deep forest in Rice Field Country with her throat slashed and her body showing signs of at least a day's worth of torture on it.

"I see. So she's…?" Tsunade asked with her head leaning on her folded hands, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah. According to my sources, she was looking for Sasuke and asking questions about his whereabouts. It's not certain if it was Oto nins or bandits that did that to her. But she has been dead for at least a day. I transported her body to the hospital for the med corps to do the autopsy." The perverted sannin explained in a grave voice.

"Thank you Jiraiya. I appreciate it…" The Godaime Hokage said in a low voice.

"Do you…want me to tell Naruto the news?" He asked.

"No…Shizune and I will do it." She replied. Jiraiya sighs and nods his head in understanding before he leaves her office. The female sannin lets out a heavy sigh as she gets up and grabs her jacket.

"Tsunade-sama…" Shizune says above a whisper.

"Let's go Shizune…" Tsunade says with her eyes closed as they leave Hokage Tower and head to Naruto's apartment to tell him the bad news. Needless to say, he does not take it well, for when he heard the news, he cried the hardest he ever cried in his life at the lost of his first love.

"I can't believe it…Sakura-chan is…is…" He couldn't bring himself to say it as he continued to cry in beautiful blonde's arms. "If only I kept my promise to her, she would still be here." He sobbed as he buried himself deeper into the woman's chest. Shizune lowers her head depressingly, as a wave of guilt suddenly hits her hard as the wail of someone precious to her tears her soul apart.

"No Naruto-kun…this…is my fault…" Shizune said guiltily.

"Shizune…?" Tsunade said as she and Naruto looked at her, wondering what she meant. Shizune lifted her head and looked into the eyes of the one, which among a chosen few, had a special place in her heart.

"On the day Sakura left, she came to see you. But when she did, you were asleep from the sedative I gave you. I asked her if there was something wrong when she was there, but Sakura said it was nothing and left." The med-nin revealed. Naruto's eyes widened after hearing Shizune's confession and he gave her a look that broke her heart. It was a look of someone who felt he was betrayed. After waking up from the sedative a couple of days ago, he was angry with her for doing it and for tying him up, but he got over it. But that anger returned a thousand fold. And in his grief stricken state, he let it all out on her as he moved away from Tsunade and gave the kunoichi a glare full of anger.

"What's wrong Shizune-chan? Aren't you happy that I'm all healed and you don't have to knock me out or tie me up? NOW ARE YOU SATISFIED?! **WHY COULDN'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE**?!" Naruto berated her as the tears continued to fall from his eyes, while the look of anger remained. The med-nin lowered her head in disgrace.

"Stop it Naruto-kun! Don't blame Shizune for what Sakura did!" Tsunade shouted at him in a scolding fashion.

"Shut up!! If I was awake, I could've talked Sakura-chan out of it! I could've saved her! I told her I made a promise to her to bring Sasuke back, but she didn't care! I failed Sakura-chan, that's why she left. Now I'll never be able to keep my promise. And it's all your fault!" He bellowed hysterically as he pointed an accusing finger at her.

"NARUTO-KUN!" The slug queen yelled at him once more.

"No Tsunade-sama…he's right…" Shizune said dismally.

"But Shizune…!" She countered.

"It's alright…I deserve it. I sensed something was wrong with Sakura, but I did nothing. I made a mistake, and because of it, I made Naruto-kun suffer…" The young woman choked as her voice started to break up.

"Shizune…" Tsunade said with her voice full of pity. It was then that Naruto turned her back on her and lowered his head, crying silently. Shizune tries to walk up to him and touch his shoulder in order to comfort him, but he flinches away from her as his body shakes from his sobs.

'He hates me…I prevented him from keeping his promise…and now he hates me…' She thinks sadly as she turns towards the door. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" She says as she runs out of his apartment with tears falling from her eyes.

"Shizune!" The female sannin calls out to her. But it falls on deaf ears as she hears the door close. She turns to look at Naruto, who still stands there sobbing with his body shaking. Normally, she would scold him for what she said, but she knew that she couldn't. For once upon a time, she was in the same position when she lost a loved one. "Naruto-kun…Shizune told me the message that Sakura gave her. She said 'Thank you. I'm sorry for everything that I've done to you. I set you free from your promise of a lifetime.'..." She told him in a gentle tone. The spiky blond stopped shaking and started to calm down, but he didn't move from his position.

"Please Tsunade-baachan…leave me alone…" Naruto requested quietly in a hoarse voice. She lowers her head and gives him a nod in understanding as she leaves his apartment without another word.

_Twenty minutes later- Konoha Hospital-Shizune's office_

After leaving Naruto's apartment, the Godaime Hokage heads to the hospital to receive an autopsy on Sakura. She asks the head nurse if she's seen Shizune and she tells her that she went into her office, asking not to be disturbed. Thanking the head nurse, she heads into her office and uses the key she has since the young woman locked the door. When she opens it, she sees her assistant weeping on her desk while Tonton lets out an oink of concern in the corner.

"Shizune…" Tsunade calls out to her softly as she places a gentle on her shoulder. The med-nin lifts her head and looks up at her master as she wipes the tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry Shizune. Please forgive Naruto. He's very upset over Sakura's death, and you know he didn't mean what he said." She tells her truthfully.

"I know Tsunade-sama. But I still feel guilty. He told me that day that I didn't understand his promise with Sakura. And he was right; I did ignore him when he told me that. If I didn't treat him so harshly for running away from the hospital, maybe he would've talked Sakura out of leaving and she would still be here…" Shizune said in a melancholic voice.

"Haruno Sakura made her choice Shizune. Just like she did when I healed Sasuke that day and she went to his side, ignoring Naruto completely. She let her selfishness and naiveté over the Uchiha cloud her judgment, and she paid the price for it. You are not to blame for that. And in Naruto's heart, he knows that too. So don't be so hard on yourself." Tsunade said in a sage-like tone as she picked up her pet pig and started to stroke him while looking out of the window.

"I know that! I just…after what nearly happened to him when they went after Sasuke; I was so worried about him. I just didn't want him to get hurt. I don't want to lose anymore people precious to me…" She admitted with a light blush as she clutched her robes.

"I understand Shizune…I felt the same way when Kabuto nearly killed him. But you need to remember Shizune that like me, Naruto is very stubborn. But it's not such a bad thing to have, since it was that stubbornness that saved my life. That's the way he is when it comes to those that are precious to him. I realized that when he told Sakura of his failure."

"_**Sakura-chan, I will definitely keep my promise! Because…I told you that it's a promise of a lifetime! I always said that to you. I will not go back on my word! Because that's my nindo! My way of the ninja!**_

"He wanted to fulfill his promise to her not only because of his nindo, but because he loved her. Shikamaru told me about his feelings for her and what he said to her before he left. Despite his feelings or his safety, he cared about her enough to give his life for her to make her happy, just like he did for me when he gave me my life back. I'm sure that if you were in the position Sakura and I was in, he would do the same for you, just like you would do the same for him. That's why I know that he'll be a great Hokage someday…" She finished as she looked at her with a warm smile.

'She's right. Naruto-kun would do the same for me without question. I would be upset too if somebody stopped me for from helping someone special to me.' Shizune said as a small smile graced her lips. She stood up and walked over to her master, as she made a decision that would change her life. "Tsunade-sama, I have a request. When Naruto-kun leaves with Jiraiya-sama for his three years of training, I wish to accompany him." She asked in a serious voice.

"Oh? Why Shizune?" The beautiful blond asked with a raised eyebrow.

"When I first met Naruto-kun, that night when I tried to talk him out of the bet, I told him that he didn't understand anything about you. I was wrong. He was able to do for you what I couldn't, despite all of the training you gave me. And even though we're older than him and we've both lost much in our lives, he's lost much more, nearly living all of his life alone. And now, he's felt the pain of losing someone close to his heart. He's suffered for too long Tsunade-sama. I…I want to stand by him, just like he did for me back then. He needs someone to be there for him, now more than ever. I want to be that person." The med-nin responded as her dark eyes burned with a fire the legendary sucker hasn't seen in her since she became her apprentice when she was sixteen. It stunned the blonde, but she smiled warmly at her a few minutes later.

"Why Shizune, if I didn't know better, I'd say that you were in love with Naruto-kun…" Tsunade deduced.

"W-What?" The young woman stammered as her face turned red and her heart pounded in her chest. "No. You're right Tsunade-sama. Ever since he gave me that daisy, he's had my heart. I truly love him and I cherish every moment I spend with him. But I didn't dare mention it. Because if I did, it might cause you trouble because of his age. And I wasn't sure if he'd return my feelings…" She confessed in a soft voice.

"Well Shizune, according to Konoha law, Naruto-kun officially became an adult when he became a ninja. And in a few more years, you can love him like a real woman." The slug queen chuckled in a teasing voice.

"AIIE! Tsunade-sama, that's not funny!" Shizune nearly screeched as her eyes popped out of her head after her master's statement. Tsunade just busted out laughing at her. A few more minutes of laughter later, the female sannin went into Kage mode.

"Shizune, from this day forward, you are no longer my assistant." She said seriously.

"But Tsunade-sama!" Shizune was about to protest before the Hokage raised a hand to silence her.

"It's for the best. There's nothing more I can teach you anyway. Besides, how can you be my assistant if you're leaving with Naruto-kun?" Tsunade questioned with a smile.

"You mean…?" The med-nin beamed with hope.

"I grant your request Shizune. You may go with him when he leaves on his training journey. From now on, you are his special assistant." The legendary sucker decreed.

"But what about your duties Tsunade-sama? What will the council say?" She asked.

"It's high time I stopped slacking and pulled my own weight around here. Don't worry about those old farts; I'll take care of them. If Sarutobi-sensei could do it on his own, then so can I. Otherwise, I would be disgracing the name of the legendary sannin as well as Naruto's sacrifice. Besides, with you by his side, I know he'll treat you better than I ever did." She replied with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Tsunade-sama…" Shizune said with a sad smile.

"Please Shizune…Love Naruto-kun…and take care of him from now on. I say this as the Godaime Hokage and as Tsunade." Tsunade requested in a gentle voice.

"I'll do just that Tsunade-sama. You have my word." The med-nin promised.

_A week later_

After the autopsy of Sakura was completed, the kunoichi was buried where the citizens were buried when they died, right next to a cheery blossom tree. Originally, she was not going to be laid to rest and was to be cremated since her actions were to be considered treasonous to Konoha. But Tsunade requested it out of respect for Naruto when he spoke to her about it in private. The ceremony was very small, since Sakura's actions were revealed to the public. But Naruto was nowhere to be found. Tsunade knew why since she spoke to Naruto the night before, but said nothing to the others. An hour after the ceremony was over, Shizune stayed behind; knowing that the young man she loved would come eventually. Her intuition paid off as he came to the field in his black garb, with his hitae-ate around his neck, carrying a bouquet of cosmos flowers in his hand.

He didn't notice Shizune at first since his head was lowered, but when he did, he gasped in shock since he hasn't spoken to her since their argument.

"I knew you'd come Naruto-kun. I've been waiting for you…" Shizune said in a soft voice.

"Shizune-chan…" Naruto said nervously. She walked up to him slowly until she was looking at him.

"Naruto-kun…I…" The med-nin started to say, until the young man ran into her arms and embraced her tightly, making sure not to crush the flowers in his hand.

"I'm so sorry Shizune-chan. Please forgive me…" He mumbled as he started to sob. The young woman smiled and gently stroked his bright blonde hair.

"It's alright Naruto-kun. Let it all out. I'm here for you…" She said with her voice full of warmth as the silent tears she held back during the funeral finally fell down her face.

_Thirty minutes later_

After the two finally let out their sorrow, Naruto laid the bouquet of flowers and he paid his respects to Sakura with Shizune quietly standing by him. After he was done, they took their time walking back to the village.

"Tsunade-baachan told me what Sakura said to you before she left." Naruto said quietly.

"I see…" Shizune said.

"I'm really sorry Shizune-chan. I had no right to say that to you." The young man apologized once more.

"I forgive you Naruto-kun. To tell you the truth, when my uncle died, I reacted the same way with Tsunade-sama. Even after I left Konoha, it took me a while before we forgave each other." The young woman admittedsheepishly.

"Really?" He asked curiously.

"It's true. We all say and do things we don't mean when we're angry or upset. When you ran away from the hospital that day, I was scared that you were hurt and I was really worried. When I found you at Ichiraku, I was mad at you, and well…you know the rest." She said.

"Sorry I made you worry…" Naruto said as he looked at the ground in shame. Shizune gently places a hand under his chin and lifts his head up so he could look at her.

"I'm sorry too Naruto-kun. I realize now that I went too far and that you were just trying to keep your word to someone you cared about. I promise I won't ever do that again." Shizune vowed to him.

"Thanks Shizune-chan. I promise that I'll take better care of myself, so that I won't make you worry." The spiky blond said sincerely.

"Thank you Naruto-kun. That means a lot to me…" She said warmly. They looked at each other and then quickly turned their heads away, each with a flushed face as the blond ninja rubbed the back of his head.

"Naruto-kun, can I ask you something?" Shizune inquired in a gentle voice.

"What is it Shizune-chan?" Naruto asked with a question of his own.

"When you leave with Jiraiya-sama, can I come with you?" The med-nin questioned as she turned to him, still carrying a blush on her face.

"Huh? But…why?" The spiky blond asked with a befuddled look on his face.

"You've done so much for me and Tsunade-sama. And I truly enjoy the time we spend together everyday. I now want to stand by you and help make your dreams come true. So I asked her if I could go with you. She agreed and made me your assistant. But the main reason I want to come with you is because…I love you Naruto-kun." She explained as she expressed her feelings to him.

"Shizune-chan…you…love me…?" Naruto stuttered in astonishment.

"Yes. I know how much you cared about Sakura, and that it'll take time before you love anyone like her again. And I know I'm much older than you. But I do love you Naruto-kun. Even if you never love me like you loved her, I want to stand by you, protect you and take care of you. That is, if you'll accept me." Shizune replied as she opened her heart to him. Still stunned by her confession, he lowers his head until his hair covers his eyes. Shizune closes her eyes as fear clutches her heart. She begins to think that he will reject her offer, and it nearly brings her to tears. That is, until she feels his arms wrap around her waist. She opens her eyes and looks down at him as his cerulean blue eyes gleam with hope.

"Are you sure you want to be with me? Even after what I said to you? Even after knowing what's inside of me and how the villagers treat me?" He asked her.

"If you care about someone and stand by them, and you know they're in pain, then do something about it. That's something a person I love once taught me." She replied with a wide smile. She leaned towards his face, and without giving him a chance to react, she gave him a soft kiss on the lips. At first, he was shocked by what she did, but then he just closed his eyes and accepted it. After the kiss was broken, Naruto face turned a bright pink before the blush disappeared. He turned away from her and started to walk back alone. Shizune frowned, thinking that he rejected her offer.

"Hey Shizune-chan." Naruto called out to her.

"Huh?" Shizune said as she snapped out of her depressing thoughts.

"I could use some help getting ready for **our **trip with Ero-sennin. Are you coming?" The blond ninja asked her with his trademark grin as he reached out his hand to her.

"Yes Naruto-kun! I'm coming!" The med-nin said joyfully as she walked up to him and took his hand.

_Epilogue- Five years later_

"It's amazing how time flies, eh Shizune-chan?" An eighteen year old Naruto asked sensuously as he laid hot kisses on her exposed neck and caressed her smooth legs underneath her robes, making her moan happily as they looked out the window of their new apartment.

"Yes Naruto-kun. I've never been so happy." Shizune gasped with her eyes closed as she grabs the back of his head to continue his kisses, while his hands massaged her soft thighs. This continued for several more minutes before they decided to take a break. Shizune turned her head and laid her head on his chest.

"Neither have I. After Sakura-chan died, I never thought I would ever love someone like her again. But you healed my heart Shizune-chan. Thank you." He said warmly as he stroked her back.

"I'm just glad that we're together. I promised you that I would stand by you. And like you, I won't go back on my word." She said as she kissed his chin.

"I know. It's one of the reasons why I love you." The spiky blond said as he lifted her up and captured her lips with a fiery kiss. The med-nin cupped his cheek with her hand and pulled his head down, accepting the kiss. The make out session continued, until they heard the bell at the door. Naruto broke the kiss and went to see what is it, making his koibito (Lover, sweetheart) let out a disappointing moan. A few minutes passed, and the blond came back into their room with something behind his back.

"What took you so long Naruto-kun? Who was it?" Shizune asked.

"It was a delivery." He simply replied.

"What kind of delivery?" She inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"This kind…" He replied as he moved his hands to the front. The dark haired woman gasped happily as she saw a bouquet of daisies in various colors, with one white and sunny yellow one in the middle. "Happy two year anniversary Shizune-chan!" He said loudly. Shizune smiled and ran into his arms, embracing him with all of her might. This was good and bad for Naruto due to her super strength. "Shizune-chan…can't…breathe…" He wheezed. Shizune immediately released him as he fell to the floor.

"I'm so sorry Naruto-kun! Are you alright?!" The dark haired woman asked with concern as she bent down to help him up.

"I'm fine. With all the bone crushing hugs you and Tsunade-baachan have given me, I'm used to it." He chuckled.

"Hee hee. Sometimes I don't know my own strength." She laughed as they both started to chuckle. Once she made sure he was alright, she took the daisies and buried her face in them, enjoying their sweet scent. She grabbed a spare vase and places them in water, then returned to boyfriend, who was waiting for her. "Thank you so much Naruto-kun. I love you." She said as she embraced him normally this time.

"I love you too Shizune-chan." Naruto said with a warm smile as he stroked her hair. "So, what do you want to do on our anniversary?" He asked her.

"Why don't we do what we did on our first anniversary?" She requested in a sexy voice as she licked his ear.

"Are you sure Shizune-chan? When we did that, you couldn't walk the rest of the day." Naruto reminded her.

"I'm sure Naruto-kun. Besides, standing by the one you love means helping them to stand up when they fall." Shizune joked, knowing that Naruto would get the meaning to that.

"I don't think that's what it means Shizune-chan." The spiky blond said as he started to snicker.

"I know." The med-nin said as she kissed the ear she nibbled. After laughing one more time, he granted her wish as he went to the windows and pulled down the shades for privacy. As expected, after he gave her his anniversary gift, she couldn't walk for the rest of the day. Fortunately, Naruto ordered dinner for the night as they enjoyed their 2 year dating anniversary together in the peace and quiet of their home. Little did Shizune know that before the day was over, Naruto would give her one more anniversary gift. It was a wedding ring, along with a promise, that they would stand by each other forever.

Author's note 2: And thus another Flower Tale story comes to a close. I apologize to the Sakura fans for her death and for the added angst, but it was necessary for the story :(. Also, if anyone is wondering why I chose daisies for Shizune, it's because they mainly represent loyal love, among other things. In any case, you know the drill. Read, Enjoy and Review. It's been a while since I wrote my flower tale stories, so I think I'm a little rusty. But if you did like it, it's all good. Please let me know your thoughts and feelings on this tale.

By the way, in case no one knows, if any author wants to add a continuation to one of my completed Naruto Flower Tales stories, then please PM me about it. Also, a friend of mine gave me an idea to put my flower tales stories I've completed so far into a one fic collection (Of course, they would still be one shots.). If you think I should consider it, let me know. Finally, I've been informed by my contacts that the voting for the Naruto Fan appreciation awards on Jesse Briceno's profile is still on. So if you haven't voted yet for the categories I'm nominated in, you still have a chance. Check my last updates on Kurorasen and Broken Heart for information on what I'm nominated in. And check Jesse Briceno's profile for info on how to vote.

Well that's all for now. This May, I'm going to **try **to focus on updating Kurorasen and How can you mend a broken heart? (If you haven't read them, give them a try.). Once that's completed, I'll see what I can do in regards to my work. Once more, I thank **all of you**, my loyal fans, for the support you give my stories every day, even when I'm not online. I know I don't update as much as certain authors on the site do, but you all know that when I do, I'll always try my damndest to give you fanfiction you can all enjoy ;). And to the ones I assist with in their work, I'm glad that I can be of help, even if it's only a little. Until next time my fans! Hope your spring is warm and beautiful. Later for now :)!


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